Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-04-09
S'PHIRY ANN.


like an amber ribbon IN the green, fertile val
lev; above it lowered majestic mountain
heights. shreuded in silver mists or yelled in
blue haze The Standneges were bred and
born mountaineers, and had drifted into the
little cove while Indian camp fires were still
glowing ike stars in the valley Of the Carte
cay aud Indian wigwams dotting the rivers
banks The house had a weatherbeateE look,
and the noble chestnut oaks shading it had
covered the roof with fine green mold.
The kitchen, a heavy looking, smoke
blackened structure with puncheon floor,
stood iust in the rear of the house, and so sit
uated that from the door one could look
through the entry to the front gate and the
mountain road beyond.
Mrs Standnege sat in the kitchen door one
morning with bottles and bean bags scattered
around her, ''sortin'n out seed beans. She
was woman not much beyond middle age,
but lean and yellow, with faded eyes and
scant dun colored hair time and toll and diet
having robbed her of the last remnant of
youth, without giving her lovely old age.
She was good type of the average mountain
woman illiterate but independent, and con-
tented with her scant homespun dress, her
house. her bean bags.
heavy old loom occupied one corner of
the kitchen, and Polly, the eldest daughter,
sat on the high bench before it, industriously
weaving, while S'phiry Ann stood by the
smoke stained mantel, watching the pine she
had laid on the fire burst into vivid flame,
A bundle of clothes lay at her feet, sur
| mounted by round, fiat gourd, filed with
| brown. Jelly like soap.
Polly was the eldest and she the youngest
of eight children. but the others all lay safely
and peacefully IN the little neglected burial
\ ground at the foot of the mountain. She was
unlike mother and sister. She had youth, she
| was supple and fair, her hair dark and album
| dant. her eyes gray and clear, She had the
! soft drawing voice. but also a fun share of
the sturdy independence. of her race. The
| circumstances OF her christening Mrs. Stand
nege was rather fond of relating.
Yes, S'phny Ann is er uncommon name"
she would say, not without a touch of com
placency, but her pap gin it tn her. She
was month old to day, when that travelin'
preacher came through here AM held meetin'
fer brother Danl on Sunday He preached
mostly about them liars droppin' dead at the
| 'poStles' feet and Standnege came home all
| but persessed about it, an nothin ed do but
| be mus name the baby S'phiry Ann instead
er Sarry Ann as weuns had thought He
| lowed If sarved them onprincipled folks right
| to die. an be wanted somethin' ter remin'
him o that Sermont. Well, | amt desputin'
but it was right. but tole Standnege then,
an say so VT, that eff all the liars in the
| world war TUX outen it, thar wouldn't be
| many folks left
I ~; Az, Io1 ~ Shn fa+a Of
Sapphire figuring in sacred history. it had
been deeply impressed on her mind in her
tenderest years, and might possibly have left
| a deep impression, for she grew mp singu-
| larry truthful, upright girl. Just now, as
she leaned against the mantel and stared at
the fire. her face were an unwontedly grave
expression.
Folks as set Themselves up ter he bettern
they ekals air mighty apt tn git tux down,
Sphiry Ann" said her mother, evidently
resuming a conversation dropped a short
time before
But amt a-settin' NJ ter be better'n my
ekals, ma" said Sphny Ann, gently but de.
fensively.
at 'peared like nothin' else yiste'day when
you'uns So pintedly walked away from CABS
flummer at meetin', an it the fust time yoa
'uns had seed him since comm from yer aunt
Thomas over III Boondt0wn settlemint. Thai
amt no call ter treat Gahe So"
But amt we hearn he's tux up with then
distillers on the mountains?" said the girl in
a low tone, deep flush overspreading her
face.
"Yes, we'uns hev hearn it. but what o that
Many gal has TUX jes' sech."
| An erlad IN am too - Spar1r,a1 Polly
sharply, stopping to tie up broken thread
"Gabe Pummer is er uncommon ste1dy
boy Hes er master hand at en'thing be
wants ter do. an"
But S'phiry Ann did not hnger to hear the
full enumeration OF her lovers virtues, Hastily
balancing the bundle of clothes on her head
she took up the blazing torch, and hurried tc
the spring, a crystal clear stream, running out
of ledge of rock and slipping away through
a dark ravine to the river. If she imagined
she had escaped all reproaches for her repre-
hensibe conduct the day before, it was sal
mistake. Hardly had the fire been kindleG
and the rusty iron kettle filed with water
when young man came treadmg heavily
through the laurel thicket above the spring
leaped down the crag and saluted her
"Mornin', S'phiry Ann"
@Mornin', Gabe, n.she said. blushing wildly
and busying herself piling unnecessary fue
on the fire
He was fine specimen of the mouraaineer
1.-the, well made, toughened to hardy endur
ance, with tawny hair falling to his collar
and skin bronzed TO a deep brown He wore
no coat, and his shirt was hOmespun, his
neither garments of coarse brown Jeans. He
carried a gun, and a shot bag and powder
horn were Sung careiessly across his shoul
ders
Il knowed vou'uns had way er washin
on Monday, so l jest thought bein' as | was
out a-huntin Id come roun', he said, sitting
down on the wash bench and laying the gun
across his lap.
You uns air welcome" she said. taking q
tin pail and stepping to the spring to ill it.
Il wouldn't "a lowed so from yisteiday,
dsrting reproachful glance at her
She made no reply.
What made youuns do it, Sphiry Anny
he exclaimed, no longer able to restrain him.
| self. i amt deserved no sech; but if it was
jes' ter tease me, why
She raised up with the pail Of water.
| mo, 1t wasn't that" she said in a low tone
her eyes downcast, the color Pickering uncer-
tainly in her face
Then you'uns didn't mean what was said
| that night comm from the Dillin'ha
| gatherin'' he cried, turning little pale
"Mebby its somebody over in Boondtowr
settlement a smoldering spark of Jealousy
1 flamiDgup.
Its the 'stillery, Gabe she said, and sud
denly put down the pail to unburden her
trembling hands. "You'uns hadn't ought ter
60 inter it"
"But the crap last year made a plum
failure" he replied excusinGly, his eyes
shifting slightly under the light of hers.
She was standing by the spring, against q
background of dark green, slanting sun
beam shifting its gold dawn through the
| overhanging pine on her dark, uncovered
head, lighting up her earnest face, lending
lustrous fire to her eyes The scant cotton
skirt and i'll fitting bodice she wore could not
destroy the supple grace of her figure, nodded
for strength a. well as beauty.
"Ibe crap wasn't no excuse, an if you'uns
mus make whisky up thar on the sly, amt
| ~